Pressure-controlling valve.



T. W. DAVIS'.

PRESSURE CONTROLLING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.6. 1914.

1,154,385.. Patentedsept. 21, 1915.

2 sHEETs-sHEE 2.

67 '$7 WITNEssEs: 104

.. K 1. BY-

coLuMmA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, 1;)4 C.

THOMAS W. DAVIS, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

PRESSURE-CONTROLLING VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 21, 1915,

Application filed August 6, 1914. Serial No. 855,382.

T c all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THoMAs W. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Elizabeth, county of Union, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressure-Controlling Valves, of which the following is a specification. f

My invention relates to pressure controlling valves, and more especially to valves for controlling radiator vents in heating systems, though valves in accordance with my invention may be used for other purposes.

Radiator vent valves for steam heating systems must answer several important requirements. lIhey must permit the free escape of air or `vapor when the steam is turned onor the engineer is getting up pressure, when the radiator is hot they must eectually close the vent and prevent the escape of steam; when, for any reason, water is present in the radiator and seeking to escape therefrom, they must close the vent to prevent the escape of water into the room or other place where the radiator is located,

` and when the interior pressure is lowered below atmospheric pressure they should desii-ably close the vent to prevent the access of air into the heating system, which other wise will have to be expelled again before steam can be gotten into the radiator to heat kit up. A valve in accordance with my invention meets all these requirements automatically and in a satisfactory manner, and inaddition is simple and can be cheaply constructed and will not get out of `order or require attention over longl intervals. I obtain these desirable results by the provision of a valve plate exposed to the air on one side, andhaving a space on the opposite side communicating with the interior of the radiator or other apparatus the pressure whereof is to be controlled, and having a vent or vents therein with a valve seat on each side of the plate and a valve stem passing through the valveplate and having a valve on each end, the outside valve acting as a check valve to prevent the ingress of outside gases, as atmospheric air, into the radiator and heating system, but not interfering with the outward passage of gases,

water or vapor from the interior of the radiator, and the inside valve onthe same stem being normally held off its seat and thus permitting'the outward passage of gas or vapor while pressure is being raised or before the apparatus becomes hot, but which is permitted to seat or is positively forced onto its seat by means provided for that purpose when the radiator and the escaping gases become heated or when water is present in the valve chamber.

valve being closed and held closed by pressure from the inside in excess of atmospheric pressure, while the outside valve is unseated, there is no opportunity for air to enter, as it would have to overcome a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. In this manner an extremely eicient operation of the heatingy system is assured, since neither steam nor water can escape, and all ingress of gases, as atmospheric air, into the heating system through the vent opening of the radiator is prevented, and the radiator can be heated up much more quickly than when air is admitted to fill the radiator pipes and system through the vent when. the pressure is reduced, as is the customary practice. f

With the foregoing and related objects in view, my invention consists in the parts, im,-

Of course, in either of thev two situations last referred to, the inside provements and combinations herein set p taken substantially on the line 2-2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a top'plan viewA of the valve plate of Fig. 1 and connected parts, Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of apparatus, Fig. 5 is a'sectional view taken on the line5-5, Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 5, and looking in the direction of the arrow on Fig. 5.

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, positivelyv acting closing means for the valve controlling the vent opening are provided.

AReference numeral 10 is applied to designate the body part of the valve casing, which, as is usual, is connected with a tapped opening in the radiator by the screw shank 11, having a passage 12 communicating with the opening 13 in the valve casing. rl`he vent and valve seat plate 14, which is preferably of hard rubber, though other Vmaterials may be used, is mounted .in any manner which will put it into communication with the outside atmosphere on one side, and the interior of the valve casing communicating on the opposite side with the interior of the radiator or other apparatus the pressure whereof is to be controlled. As shown,-it is seated on the top of the casing and is held in place by the cap 1.5, `threaded to screw on the casing 10 and having a shoulder 16 between which and the end of the casing 10 the valve plate 14 is securely held, and in such manner as to make a tight joint. In the plate 14, and preferably a little at one side of the center thereof, is a vent hole 17, and in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 this vent opening 417 is enlarged at its end to form inner and outer valveseats 18 and 19, preferably conical in form, as shown.

The interior of the cap 15 is placed into communication with the outer atmosphere, as by the provision of the openings 20, 20 therein. r1`he valve stem 2Oa is passed loosely through the vent opening 17 and is arranged with valves on each side of the valve plate 14. As shown, the interior valve 21 ris formed integrally with the valve stem 20, and the valve 23 is perforated to receive the stem 20 and has the sleeve 24 formed-integrally therewith. The sleeve24 rests against the shoulder 25 on the stem 20, and all the parts are held together by a nut 2G screwed on the outer end of ythe stem 20. l1t will readily be apparent that other structures may be used to produce a double ended valve. l

On the lower end of the valve structure, and as shown formed integrally with the valve stem 20FL and the valve 21, means for connecting the controlling vand operating device with the valve structure are provided, and in the form shown the'same consists ofa downwardly extending lug 27 with an opening 28 vformed therein. i Y

The parts described comprise alltlie parts der such circumstances, prevents ythe closing ofthe valve 21, as will be explained.

The control apparatus servestopreventA the seating of the valve 21 while cool air or vapor isbeing discharged, and also serves to cause or permit the seating of the valve 21, at the same time unseating the valve 23, and such control apparatus involves heat actuated and water actuated devices. The heat actuated device comprises the thermostat strip 29, here shown of U-form, and attached at one end to the plate 14, as by means ofthe screw 30, and having a downwardly extending arm 31, a bend 32, an upwardly extending arm 33 arranged adjacent to the downwardly extending arm 31, and a short reversebend 34 having an opening therein. The expansion of the metal of the thermostat is effective to separate the arms 31 and 33 of the U, as willbe readily understood, and means are providedv for utilizing this expansion and the separating action of said arms to close the valve 21. vIn the form shown, such' means comprise" a bell crank lever 36 pivoted at 37, such pivotal connection being preferably made to the thermostat metal near where the same is connected with the plate 14, thoughthe pivotal connection may be otherwise made, so long as the bell crank lever is movable with the plate 14 to thereby facilitate the assembly of the parts. Such bell crank leverfhas Aan arm 38 entering the opening 35 in the part 34 of the thermostat strip and an arm 39 on the opposite end loosely received in the opening 28 in the lug 27 on the valve stem 20a. Aswill be evident, the expansion ofthe thermostat strip 29, as takes place, for instance, when steamy is admitted into the valve casing 10, 'results vin the closing of the valve member 21 by lthe action ofV the bell crank lever 3G. It will be understoody that if water enters the casing 10, it' the water isV hot,r the valve remains closed bv the thermostatic action.' Means are also provided so that the presence of'. cold waterfin the casingv 10 results in the closing of the valve 21. F or this purpose a float 40 is provided, preferably open at its bottom, but otherwise air-tight.

` 'l`hcjo`aiter arm 33 of the thermostat strip 29 is preferablyprovided with a' projecting member, kas 41,A for conining the float', 40 generally to its proper position in the apparatus and providing for the convenient insertion and removal of all thel valves and valve controlling parts, by means of the pla 14, to which the thermostatic controlling meansare attached. Vhen water enters the lloatch amber 10 the float 40, with the air contained' therein, rises, and coming in contact at its upper end' with the lower end of thelug 27,` serves to Vclose the valve 21, and if there is pressure present with the water, such pressure reinforces the actionof the rising tloat 40 and holds the valve21 closed, thus preventing the escape of water through the vent opening. ,lt will be understood that the thermostat strip 29 is comparatively light and comparatively easily bent, and that therefore the tendency of they same to hold the valve 21 open when the thermostatv is not expanded by heat, is overcome by the {iotative pressui'e ofthe fioatO, but that unless the float 40 is raised,- due to the presence of water in the chamber l0, and while cold vair or vapor is escaping from the interior of the radiator, the valve 21 is lightly helddovvn by the arm 3S ofthe bell cranklever 34 and thejthermostat strip 29, and that such slight excesses of pressureabove thek atmospheric pressure,`as occurs at suoli times, will not be sutlieient tov close the valve2l against such retarding effect. n

In the form of device shown inFigs. l, 2 and 3 the bell crank 36 is made of spring material which is stift1 enough to operate the valves 21 and in a positive manner, but it has a degree of resiliency which prevents straining of the theri'nostatic means incase the device is subjected. to a degree of temperature beyond the point where it is normally expected to ope ate if a very high degree of temperature, caused h greater steam pressure for instance, affects the thermostatic strip, the strip eX- pands to the point whereit closes the valve 2l by means of the bell crank, and the furtherl movement of the thermostatic strip is permitted by the spring action. lor yielding proi'ierty of thebell crank which will permit such excessive movement of the thermostatic strip without 'distorting the strip.

ln Figsl, 5 and 6 l have illustrated a kmodified form of valve and Yvalve control structure. In the form here illustrated, the plate let is provided with annular valve seats 53 and 54. surrounding the vents 50 on each side of the valve plate, and the valve stem is provided with iiat valves 51 and 52, co-

-acting with such valve seats 53 and `54C. .The

to be discharged from the float chamber ',VV

but when hot steam or gases 'are `present in the vfloat chamber, .or there is vwater therein, the means for preventing' the closing 'of the valve 52 are put out of action anjdf-the valve is free to be closed by the excess pressure inthe interior of the valve casing over the atmospheric pressure. This result is obtained by the provision of a stop on the lower end of the valve stem 55, which stop may Yhave the form of an enlargement 56 of the valve stem on the lower end thereof and extending therearound, leaving the shoulder 57 at the junction thereof Awith the principal part'of the falve stem 55. The means for preventing' the closing of the valve comprise such stop and a member coacting there- Iny other words,

with, and in the form shown such eoaeting member consists of a hook 58 on the upper end of the thermostat strip 59, which Vcomprises, in addition .to the hook 58, a downwardly extending' arm 59, a bend 60 and an.

upwai'dly extending arm 6l, and' such thermostat member is pivotally supported in the valve casing preferably at one side of vthe center thereof and near the lower end entering an opening in the downwardly .extending arm 59 of the thermostat strip.

Said supporting member 62 is preferably provided with side guiding' members 66 for yretaining the thermostat strip in substantial parallelism thereto, and the upwardly eX- tending arm 6l of .the thermostat strip is Y su'l'liciently separated from the downwardly extending arm 59 thereof so that thesame may extend close to and into Contact with thewall of the easing 10 on the side opposite the pivotal support of the thermostat. lvhen the thermostat is subjected to the action of heat, as by the presence of steam in thecasing lO, the` arms thereof separate as before, thus bringing the hook member 58 avv-ay from the stem 55 and stop member 5G, and leaving the valve stem free from said hook portion 58 and the valve 52 free tobe closed when the pressure in theinterior of theA easing 10 rises sufficiently to produce suoli closing action. l i y Y In this apparatus means also are provided .for y permitting the valve 52 to be closed when water 'enters 'the casing 10', and for this purpose the ioat is provided, which is rpreferably received between the-arms 59 and Gil of the thermostat strip and is preferably open at the bottom, as already `described, in respect to the float 40, and has its upper end in the neighborhood yof the lower end of the valvestem 55, but not in contact therewith. Such Float is secured to the thermostat as by` fastening it to the arm 59 thereof by means of a rivet 71. i

then water rises in the chamber l0 the Heat 70 tends to rise therewith and being secured to the thermostat arm 59, and the `latterbeing pivoted at one sidethereof, such .rising action, as in the case of the thermostatic action, serves to rmove the hook portion 58-of the thermostat away from above .the stop 5G on the valve stem 55, thus leav- Vtending through the plate andwith valves Lon its opposite ends coacting witheach of the said valve seats is provided, and-that in each case means are provided for preventing the closing of the interior' valve while unheated air or vapors are-being discharged,

and that in one casefthe interior valve is positively closed,fand in theother case is permitted-to be closed when the thermostat is expanded by the -action of heat or when water enters the chamber, and furthermore that in both cases when the atmos- -phericpressure is in excess of the interior ference in pressure and the excess of atmosplieric over interior pressure, sothat at all times the surrounding gases, as atmospheric air, are preventedfromentering the valve casingand thereby getting into-the radiator and the other portions ofthe heating sysvtem.

`"Valves in accordance with my invention are quick and certainV in action yand entirely automatic and do rnoti-equire attention afterthey are installed, and furthermore the valves are always seated and unseated in the same direction and on the same seats, so that there is ,no tendency or likelihood of valve distortion, even when flat valves are used, whichwould prevent them from functionvingicorrectly, as may happen when a singlel valve is Vused and is seated first against a seat on one side and then against a seat on its opposite side, in which case the seating fit ofthe valve is likelyvtovbe destroyed as it is moved fro-iii the seat on ciieface against lthe seat on the opposite face.A

lt is to be` understoody that the forms ofvalves and valve mechanism which I have shown in my drawing are for purposes of illustration only and that my invention is not confined thereto, but that changes therein and departures therefrom' may be made, withinthe scope of my claims, by which my invention is defined, and without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of its'advantages.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. in a radiator pressure regulator, an elongated casing, a 'valve movable lengthwise thereof, a heat expansible -member in said casing extending longitudinally thereof and having a free part movable upon contraction and expansion substantially transversely thereof, and means of connection between said valve and the free part of said member wlieieby movement transverse of the casing is transformed linto movement in a direction substantially` longitudinally thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. In` a radiator pressure regulator, an elongated casing, a valve movable length- M wise thereof, a substantially U-shaped membeiofi-heat expansible material in said casing, supported therein at one end and-having its opposite free end movable upon expansion Vand contraction substantially transversely of Vsaid casing, and means of connection between said valve and free end of said member lwhereby movement transverse `of the casing` is transformed into'movement '1n a direction substantially lengthwise thereof, substantially as set fort-h.

3. In a radiator pressure regulator, an elongated casing, a valver movable lengthwise thereof, a heat expansible member in said f casing extending longitudinally ythereof and having a free part movable upon contraction and rexpansion substantially transversely thereof, and a bell crank lever between said free 4part of said member and -sa-idvalve and loosely connected with said valve and serving to transform movement transverse'of the casing into movement substantially lengthwise thereof, substantially as set forth.

1l. n a radiator pressure regulator, an elongated casing, a valve movable ylengthwise thereof, a substantially'U-shaped member of heat 'expansible material extending lengthwise insaid casing, rsupported therein at one end'and having itslopposite free end movable upon expansion and contraction substantiallytransversely of said casing, and a bell-crank lever between saidffree part of said member and said valve and loosely connected with said valve and serving to transform movement transverse of the casing into rvmovement substantially lengthwise thereof,

substantially as `set forth.

5. lnfa radiator pressure regulator, an elongated casing, a valve movable substantially lengthwise thereof, a heat expansible rmember extending longitudinally of the casing and having a free part movable upon expansion and contraction in a direction substantially transverse thereof, means interposedbetween said freevpart of said member and Vsaid valve for rtransforming the vice versa, thermostatic means whereby the outwardly closing valve may be closed when said means is heated, a loose connection being provided between the thermostatic means and the valves for permitting the closing ofthe outwardly'closing valve when the thermostatic means is inoperative, substantially as set forth.

7. In a pressure controlling device, a member provided with a passage for fluid, an inwardly closing valve, an outwardly closing valve, said valves being adapted to control the passage of fiuid through the member, means connecting the valves so that one moves toward its closed position when the other moves toward its opened position and vice versa, thermostatic means whereby the outwardly closing valve may be closed when said means is heated, a loose connection being provided between the thermostatic means and the valves for permitting the closing of the outwardly closing valve when the thermostatic means is inoperative, and a float in said member for closing said outwardly closing valve when water is present in said member, substantially as set forth.

8. In a pressure controlling device having a passage for fiuid under pressure7 a valve to control the passage of iuid inward through the passage, arvalve to'control the passage of fluid outward through the passage, means connecting the valves, and

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

thermostatically controlled means loosely connected with saidv connecting means to permit the closing of the valve controlling the outward passage of fluid when the thermostatically controlled means is inoperative, substantially as set forth.

9. In a pressure controlling device having a passage for fluid under pressure. a valve to control the passage of fluid inward through the passage, a valve to control the passage of fluid outward through the passage, means connecting the valves to move them into opposed operative positions, thermostatic means for operating the connecting means and having a loose connection thereto, and a fioat in said device movable by water to insure the closing of said outwardly closing valve, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, this 4th day of August, 1914. Y

THOMAS IV. DAVIS. Witnesses:

WM. H. CAMFI'ELD, M. A. JOHNSON.

Washington, ZD. C. 

